Key takeaway: Betfair is regulated, fiat-friendly, and suited for sports bettors. Polymarket is unregulated, blockchain-based, and excels at political and real-world event prediction. For European political markets, Polymarket wins on liquidity and variety.
When it comes to European prediction markets, two platforms stand out: Betfair (the established betting exchange) and Polymarket (the blockchain-powered prediction platform). What sets them apart?
At a glance
| Feature | Polymarket | Betfair |
| Founded | 2020 | 2000 |
| Regulation | Unregulated (decentralised) | FCA, Malta, Gibraltar licensed |
| Currency | USDC (stablecoin) | GBP, EUR, AUD |
| Market types | Politics, crypto, science, culture | Sports, politics, entertainment |
| Fees | ~2% (spread-based) | 2–5% commission on winnings |
| Deposits | USDC, MoonPay | Card, bank transfer, PayPal |
Where Polymarket wins
- Political markets: Polymarket offers superior liquidity across US electoral contests, European political outcomes, and worldwide geopolitical developments compared to Betfair
- Transparency: Settlement occurs on-chain and can be independently verified; Betfair's dispute procedures tend to lack clarity
- Market variety: Digital asset valuations, technological breakthroughs, and research discoveries are available here — Betfair simply does not offer these categories
- No bookmaker margin: Participant trading determines pricing rather than house-imposed vigorish
Where Betfair wins
- Sports markets: Live in-play wagering represents Betfair's fundamental competitive advantage; Polymarket provides minimal coverage of active sporting events
- Fiat deposits: Betfair requires no blockchain expertise or cryptocurrency familiarity
- Regulation: Holding FCA authorisation provides investor safeguards and responsible betting protections
- Track record: Two and a half decades of continuous service with proven complaint handling systems
Our verdict
Should your focus centre on political prediction markets, Polymarket emerges as the superior choice. PolyGram simplifies access to Polymarket whilst removing cryptocurrency barriers. Start trading on PolyGram →